Imaginary
by Kittany
Summary: Sonic's little sister, Candy, falls deeply in love with Tails. It turns out Tails shares the feelings, and secretly, their loves grows. But what is love without obsticals, as Tails is hunted down in his dreams.


Imaginary 

(This is a Random Story I wrote. I think it's kind of cute, but that's just me. It was hard, trying not to bring certain characters into situations where they would never respond to in the way I make them. If characters act, dare I say, Out Of Character, it's not my fault.)

            It was dawn, and in the midst of all that's been happening lately, a young girl and a small boy sat on a cliff, over seeing the golden glory of the magnificent sunrise. Candy colored clouds floated slowly across a bright purple sky, and below, pink, paper flowers stood, swaying in an unseen breeze of comfort.

            The boy held out a gloved hand to the girl. She hesitated, then set her own hand into his palm. She wished this moment would last forever…

            "Hey! Candy! Quit day-dreaming!" a blue hedgehog shouted.

            "Huh? What?" Candy said, flipping into her "on" position. Realizing what just happened, she lunged at her brother, "Why'd you wake me up!? I was having the best dream ever!"

            "What was it?"

            "Like I'm going to tell you…" She pushed her chair away from the table and hopped down, grabbing a handful or marshmallows, then plopping down in front of the TV.

            Sonic shook his head; "You're going to be a MAJOR couch potato one day…"

            "Like you aren't already one?"

            Sonic took a deep breath, but then let it go. What could he possibly say against the truth? He too, walked over to the couch and sat next to his sister.

            Just then, as a dog was about to roll off the counter, (Watching the Planet's Funniest Animals, which some people who are animal-like think are cruel and unusual) a knocking came at the door.

            Sonic looked at Candy, who made no effort to stand up. He sighed, "I'll get it…" He walked over to the door and pulled the door open, only to be ambushed by Amy.

            "Hey! Amy! What the hell was that for!?" Sonic shouted, having tripped backwards and whapped his head on the corner of the table.

            "Sorry Sonic! It's just… uh… You might want to look outside..."

            "Huh? Uh… Okay…" Sonic zipped over to the window and looked outside. He was shocked at what he saw. A large Eggman robot trampled through the streets.

            "Does Eggman have a death wish or has he finally gone off his rocker!?" As Sonic spoke, a missile flew into the window. Amy saw this and hit it back out with her Piko-Piko Hammer.

            "Phew! Quick thinking…" Candy said.

            "Well, I can't have MY Sonic blown to bits!"

            "Since when do I belong to you?"

            "Since now!"

            "Makes sense…" Candy agreed.

            Sonic leaped out the window onto a flagpole. He faced the robot. "Hey! Metal Mouth! Over here!" He taunted.

            The robot seemed to smirk as it then grew a large pair of wings and flew at Sonic.

            Sonic didn't expect wings and lost concentration. The robot took advantage of this and punched Sonic down. Of course this was a problem, Sonic was 24 stories up.

            Sonic grabbed onto the flagpole for dear life, literally! He turned at the robot as he tried to regain balance, but it was too late, the creature threw itself at Sonic and he plummeted toward the concrete below.

            All seemed lost for Sonic, until a hand reached out and pulled Sonic back up, onto the pole.

            "Need at hand, Sonic?" a young boy, asked.

            Sonic smiled, "Right on time, Tails!"

            Tails carried Sonic up to the flagpole, where Sonic then charged at the robot full speed, blasting directly through it's head.

            The robot waved it's arms, but to no avail. The robot exploded right there and Tails once again had to catch Sonic.

            "Twice in one day, Sonic?"

            "…I forgot I was still 24 stories up…"

            Tails carried him up to the apartment and dropped him on the floor.

            "Ow!" Sonic cried, hitting his head on the table again, "Tails! A nicer landing next time isn't too much to ask for, is it?"

            "I'm… sorry… Sonic…" Tails panted, on his hands and knees, "You're… just… too… heavy… lay... off... the… chili dogs…"

            Everyone had a laugh at that (Except Sonic) and then Candy rushed over, giving a glass of water to Tails.

            As Tails gulped down the water, Sonic looked at his sister. He'd previously known of Candy's insane crush on Tails, as Sonic called it. Candy had insisted it was love, not insanity.

            Of course, what would Sonic know about love? Except when it comes to himself, Sonic loves no woman. (Except his sister, but he HAS to love family.)

            A few hours later, Candy sighed, hoping the dream she had today would re-occur. Strange, she could remember it so clearly, it seemed as if it had actually happened. The feeling of the dream was so comforting, it reminded her of a song she recalled Amy singing aloud to herself:

"In my field of paper flowers,

And Candy Clouds of Lullaby,

I lie inside myself for hours,

And watch my purple sky fly over me."

            _Geeze, that sounds corny… _She thought. _And yet, so romantic at the same time… _She soon drifted off into a very pleasant sleep.

            However, in a few rooms away, a two-tailed kitsune had some strange dreams heading his way…

            "Tails!" the dream girl giggled, "Try and catch me!" She took off into a deep forest.

            "Candy! Wait up!" Tails laughed, chasing after the girl.

            What a cute and playful dream this seemed to be, as Tails smiled in his sleep, drooling slightly on his pillow. This dream was one thing short of heaven, but if only that single glitch, that one mistake, didn't stop him, things might've been different.

            In his dream, try as he might, he could never catch up to Candy. Every time he got close, a certain someone caused his lead to vanish. Each time, when catching up to her seemed like it was in the palm of his hand, a strange figure that would grab Candy's hand and pull her off farther appeared.

            It wasn't until Tails give up that the worst occurred. This once pleasant dream became a nightmare, as the figure approached Tails.

            "You shall pay…" it muttered under its breath.

            "Wh-what?" Tails asked innocently.

            The figure pulled a mask out of the dark cloak; his shaded face was now even more protected. He then approached Tails, who ran opposite, but he was too fast, and he lunged at Tails, pulling him to the ground.

            Violently kicking back, Tails was dragged through the gloomy woods, and brought to the shore of a lake. Tails screamed, but in a dream, no one can hear you crying. He was pulled into the water and submerged below.

            Gasping for air, Tails gagged. Not in his dream, but in reality. Tails tried to get out; he tried to get away. He kicked and screamed, as his lungs felt like they were to burst. Then, everything was gone, as he gave in to the murder, and slowly slipped away…

            "Tails! Breathe! Wake up!" a voice called.

            Tails' eyes flew open as he took in a breath of fresh air, directly from the window. Beside him, his roommate, AJ, stood. AJ let out a sigh of relief, "Man, what happened there, Tails?"

            Tails shook all over, "I…I'm not sure…"

            AJ pat his back, "It's okay, Tails. You're safe now. Remember what I told you before? It's only a dream, it's not really happening---"

            AJ would have continued, but suddenly, Tails bent forward and began to cough.

            "What is it?' AJ asked, very worried for his little friend. Since Candy moved in with Sonic, Tails couldn't stay there. Besides, AJ needed company, so in a way, it all worked out.

            Tails continued to gag until a good quart of water has covered the floor. AJ looked alarmed, "Tails… how'd you get that much water in you?"

            "I… don't… know…" Tails gasped, again welcoming some fresh air, "AJ… you said dreams can't come true! I… had a dream I was being... drowned…"

            "Come on, Tails. You don't think there could really be a connection. It could just be you had too much water in you and the fright of the dream caused your body to find extreme ways of releasing it. Look on the bright side, atleast you didn't wet the bed."

            Tails would have been mad, if it was any other case, but this was serious. AJ has had to come to Tails' rescue manys a time now, and it was becoming a very dangerous manner. Suppose AJ can't come wake him up? What happens then?

            AJ sighed, "You wanna sleep in my room again?"

            Tails nodded, still shaky. He followed AJ out of his own room and into the one adjacent from it. Tails started towards the side couch when AJ stopped him, "Take my bed, Tails. I sleep sitting up, remember?"

            "Oh… That's all right…"

            "Tails, you just choked up a quart of water from your lungs after dreaming about the same thing. Get into the bed, now!"

            AJ stopped, "Okay… is it just me, or did that sound dirty…"

            Tails cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean?"

            AJ chuckled, "Poor innocent little Tails. You'll… uh… understand when you're older…"

            Tails was too tired to think or complain, so he just plopped on the bed and lay there, too tired to strike conversation, but too afraid to return to his sleep.

            AJ turned on his sleep mode (Made so he can wake up on his own if loud sounds or danger occurs, designed by Tails as a safety feature) and leaned against the wall.

            Tails blinked back tears of fear, trying to be brave, and lay there, until the morning sun kissed the back of his neck.

            "Poor Tails, he still having those dreams?" Amy asked AJ, who nodded.

            "Still. And listen. Last night was the strangest thing. After I woke him up from a drowning dream, he choked up over a quart of water all over the bedroom floor. I'm really worried about him…" AJ said, his glance moving over to Tails, who sat on the couch struggling to stay awake.

            "He'll be fine. I think he's just having a hard time with the whole switch business," Amy said, talking, of course, about moving from one apartment to another.

            "I guess, but, I never heard a nightmare coming true…"

            "You worry too much," Sonic said from across the table, "He's probably fine. All's he needs is to be able to get a restful sleep."

            "I hope you're right, Sonic," Amy said, looking back at Tails who had now fallen asleep.

            Candy looked at the small sleeping fox and smiled. He looked so cute when he slept, if everyone else wasn't watching, she'd give him a big hug. Then again, she may get her wish, for as Tails slept, he rolled over, his head leaning on her shoulder.

            "Awww… Look at that… Don't they look cute together…" Amy said softly, so Candy couldn't hear.

            Sonic looked over at them, a not-so-pleased look on his face.

            AJ tried to hold back his snickering, "Awww… Is Sonic jealous that Tails is getting attention from Candy?"

            "What!? I'm not jealous! She's my sister!" Sonic yelled all too loudly. Candy looked up.

            "Are you discussing me?" She asked.

            "No…" Sonic lied, but was unsuccessful, Candy saw right through it.

            "Fine…" She turned back to the TV, patting Tails on the head.

            Minutes go by, and suddenly Candy yells out, "Ack! You guys! Come here, quick!"

            Everyone ran over, "What's the mater?" AJ asked.

            Candy pointed at Tails, "He hasn't been breathing for a whole minute now! I didn't notice before!"

            They all looked at Tails, who, indeed, wasn't breathing. AJ shook him slightly and Tails bolted awake almost immediately, gasping for air.

            "Tails! Are you okay?" Candy asked hurriedly.

            Tails nodded slightly then lay back, holding onto his neck, as if he were making sure it was okay.

            "Tails…" AJ asked, noticing Tails holding his neck, "Did you have a dream someone... slit your neck?" Tails nodded weakly.

"This is getting creepy, Tails. Heck, if Candy didn't see that, you coulda died." Sonic pointed out.

            "I… know…" He turned to AJ, "When… will… this… stop?"

            AJ looked at poor Tails and frowned, "I don't know Tails… I don't even know what's happening to you…"

            "It'll be okay, Tails. I promise!" Candy said. Tails smiled at her, causing her to blush.

            "Ooooooh!" Sonic teased; Candy bopped him on the head. "Ow!"

            "Hey! I got an idea! Who's up for pizza?" Amy suggested.

            Everyone cheered, "Pizza!"

            "Well, good night Tails," Candy called as he left the apartment. Tails couldn't help but smile at her, causing them both to blush.

            Everyone was standing right there and noticed right away. Sonic nudged Tails in the side with his elbow, winking at him. Tails looked back at Candy and blushed again.

            Tails then went across the hall, down the stairs, and into another room, then he went into his bedroom and fell back onto the bed sighing, a smile on his face as he dosed off.

                   

            "Now what was that, Candy?" Sonic asked, sitting next to his sister on the sofa.

            "What was what?" Candy answered dreamily.

            "You know… the whole blushing and smiling thing with Tails! You aren't doing stuff behind my back, are you?"

            Candy attacked her brother at the comment with her bazooka and fired about 5 pounds of marshmallows into his mouth.

            Sonic swallowed with difficulty, "Hey! I was only kidding! You two are only eight!"

            "You'd better only be kidding! Why'd I get stuck with YOU as a brother, anyway?"

            "Fate has a weird sense of humor…"

            "Candy! Wait for me!" the dream Tails yelled playfully, chasing after Candy.

            "Now Tails! It wouldn't be a game if I let you catch me!"

            "Yeah, but I'm tired. Can we rest a minute?"

            "Of course, Tails!" Candy said cheerfully, taking his hand and walking over to the cliff over looking the horizon.

            Tails longed to reach over and kiss her, but he knew he was dreaming and he knew once his dream became too pleasant, something would come, or someone, to ruin it. And, so far, he's almost died.

            Then, Tails wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but Candy reached over and kissed him on the cheek. Tails blushed as Candy hopped back up, taking Tails up with her.

            "Come on Tails! I wanna run!"

            "You're a lot like Sonic except one thing," Tails said.

            "What's that?"

            "Uh… wait… actually, a lot of things…"

            Candy giggled, "Oh Tails! You're so silly! Come on!"

            Tails chased off after her again until, the pleasant slipped away. The dark figure once again approached, but this time, the figure was very easily seen.

            A tall hedgehog with emerald green eyes was he. His blue fur ended in spikes on his head and along his back. Orange running shoes were all her wore, which had a white stripe across them.

            Tails smiled, "Hi Sonic! What are you doing here?"

            "You…" he said, his voice dark.

            "Huh? W-what is it Sonic?"

            "Don't chase my sister, you jerk."

            "Huh? What are you talking about? Only a game!"

            "Only a game huh? Well, it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, isn't it"

            "Yeah… I guess so…"

            "And…" the dream Sonic grinned menacingly, "It's all pleasant dreams until someone gets killed… the it's…"

            "A… n-nightmare?" Tails finished.

            "Welcome to your dreams Tails. This is the last place you'll ever see!"

            "No!" Tails screamed, running off in the other direction, Sonic close behind.

            Walls seemed to pop up everywhere. There was no place to go; he was trapped.

            "Please! God no!" Tails yelled as Sonic cornered him between two solid stone walls, "Sonic! I thought I was your… your best friend!?"

            "You get it, Tails. "Was" is the key word here."

             "Nooooooooooooo!" Tails cried as Sonic closed in on him.

            "Say good-bye, Fox boy1" Sonic shouted, punching Tails in the jaw. Tails, strangely enough, suddenly felt a surge of pain in his face. Sonic then went into fury of punches, all over Tails, leaving bruises after every impact.

            Tails yelled out in pain. Then, another feeling came over him. One he couldn't explain. The next thing he knew, he bolted awake, AJ bent over him.

            "Tails! Thank the heaven's you're still alive!"

            "What happened?" Tails said weakly.

            "I'm not sure, but I just chased away some burglar or something. They jumped out your window and disappeared. I'm sure this weirdo is the reason for your dreams coming true!"

            "How would they know what I'm dreaming though?"

            AJ shrugged, "A machine maybe. Dream readers to exist, Tails"

            AJ looked at Tails, "Who ever he was, he sure did a number on you1 Come on into the kitchen and up… get you some ice…"

            As they walked by, Tails looked into the mirror in his room. All the bruises from his dream were there. All the ones which were given to him by… _Huh? That's weird… Who was it in my dream that attacked me? Oh well… I guess I'll never know until we catch that burglar…_

            "I'm telling you! It wasn't me!" AJ yelled. Everyone glared at AJ.

            "Yeah right, AJ. And we're supposed to believe some burglar who can read dreams is doing this to Tails? We KNOW you have the ability to read dreams and that you have access to Tails' room." Amy argued.

            "But the thing I wanna know is why? Why would you do that to Tails?" Sonic asked, "Look at him! He looks like he just tried out for a professional boxing match!"

            "I didn't do it! I swear to you!" AJ shouted back in protest.

            "It wasn't AJ you guys…" Tails said from across the room. His voice was dreamy and distant, like it took all his strength to get it out.

            Amy walked over to Tails, 'Tails, you can tell us if it's him. You don't have to protect him. He'll still be our friend, but if it's him, we can get him professional help!"

            "It wasn't AJ... he saved me… He didn't try to kill me…"

            Sonic walked over now, "It's alright Tails..." he set a hand on his shoulder, "If you don't want to tell you don't hav--- Argh!" Sonic pulled his hand back in pain as blood leaked down into his palm.

            "Ow! He bit me!" Sonic cried out.

            Tails shook all over as he stared back at Sonic from across the room, hiding under a small table. A look of pure terror filled his large blue eyes.

            "Tails!" AJ ran over to Tails, comforting him, "Well, this might prove something…"

            Sonic didn't answer. He just stared at the bloody gash on his hand, his eyes wide. _I don't get it... I would never hurt Tails, not in a million years. Why is he so afraid of me…?_

            "Sonic, why did Tails… act like that?" Candy asked later that night.

            "Look Candy. Tails is going through a lot right now. Unfortunately, none of us know what. Don't worry about it, he'll get better soon, okay?"

            "I don't know Sonic…" Candy said doubtfully, "What if he dies in his sleep and no one's there to save him! What if someone is coming and does kill him! What if gets killed and we can never get married and have three kids together and make an apartment above our house where you can grow old because you'll never get married!?"

            "Candy! Calm down!" Sonic yelled, "Breathe!"

            Candy took a deep breath. "See? All better!" Sonic said, "Now, you know Tails wouldn't want you to worry too much, it'll make him feel worse. Now you run off to bed. I have to re-bandage my hand…" Sonic said, standing up to get a new wrap for his hand.

            Candy stood up and walked off into her room. Just because Sonic told her too doesn't mean she's going to stop worrying.

            Late in the night, a figure fled from a certain hero's apartment window then took off, climbing down the walls. Then, they slowly pried open a window and jumped inside. Once there, they looked at their unsuspecting victim, Miles Tails Prower.

            "Sleep well, little one," the dark voice said, "Because you'll have to get used to it forever." The figure then lifted up a dagger and let it pall onto the chest of a once carefree boy.

            Then, in a flash, it all happened. The lights went on and the figure became blinded by the light. Then, another figure, AJ, leapt at him, tying him up and pulling him to the light to see. What he saw shocked him, and in a way, wasn't all that surprising.

            "And you said I was sick…" AJ said, holding his brother Sonic by the back of his neck.

            "Hey! Let me go!" Sonic cried.

            "And let you murder another innocent!?"

            Just then, a cloud passed over the crescent moon outside and Sonic blanked out. Then, his eyes returned to focus, "Huh? Hey… what happened? What am I…" He froze, looking at the blood covering the bed in front of him, "Oh no… I didn't... no!"

            "You did," AJ said sternly, "You murdered your best friend."

            Sonic fell to his knees and began to sob, " No!  I didn't mean to! It was all a mistake!"

            "You cannot change what has happened. You have committed murder. Sonic, you'll be executed for this. Or atleast a life sentence."

            "AJ! It wasn't me!"

            "Who was it then? Some imaginary guy who looks like you?"

            "No…" Sonic began to cry again.

            "Hm… you seem upset for someone who killed who they wanted to…"

            "No… It wasn't him I was after…" The moon became visible as he spoke, "I was YOU!" He leapt at AJ, dagger extended, and went straight for his right side, one of his few weak spots.

            AJ cried out in pain as blood gushed from that gapping wound in his side. Sonic thrust the dagger deeper into his body, then slowly turned it around pulled it out swiftly.

            "Sonic…" AJ muttered, "You'll... regret… this…" Then he fell limp, but not for long, for his reboot systems kept him just barely alive.

            Sonic looked at what was left of his friends. Then, even though the moon shone brightly, a thought struck him. His friends, he killed his friends! Not only that, but his brother and his best friend, who he knew had a crush on his little sister and vice versa. If he knew all this, why'd he kill them?

            _No… Why I do this! Have I lost it! No one will be with me now! Now… I'm all alone… wait… _He looked over at Tails. _I'm not the one who deserves pity. I killed him, my best friend. Now I must pay…_

            Sonic lifted up the dagger he had used to kill both AJ and Tails and lifted it to his neck. _I have no right to live anymore. I've taken the lives of two too many people. _He was about to slit his neck when a hand reached out and pulled the dagger away.

            Tails yawned as he stood next to Sonic. Tails held a glass of water in one hand and wore his pajamas. Tails yawned again, then widened his eyes as he scanned the room.

            "S-s-sonic… It was you…" Tails said shakily.

            Sonic bent down his head in shame as he sat on all fours on the bloody carpet, "I'm am so sorry…"

            Tails lifted up his blanket, where a bottle of ketchup had been placed so it appeared as though Tails would have been killed once stabbed. It was all a setup.

            "Sonic… why would you wanna... kill me?" Tails asked, feeling quite betrayed by his former friend.

            Sonic looked up, "I don't know… I can't control it anymore... I don't deserve to live!"

            Tails set a hand on his shoulder, "Can't control what?"

            "I… I'm not sure… but… I guess it started a few weeks ago, after Candy told me about how she... you know… liked you… I don't know why, but it just made me so angry... when she would look at you like that. It wasn't until I noticed you looking at her like that when I... lost it…"

            "So you stole the dream machine parts from AJ when I was working on a sleep mode for him."

            "Yes… I went into your room through the window and read your dreams. Then, I don't know how, but I managed to find a way to change your dream to make it look like something horrible happened, like your dream was coming true somehow."

            "Wait… but… if you took the window, why didn't you fall? We all know you aren't half as coordinated to be able to climb down to this floor."

            "Gee, thanks… but I have a reason for that too… I think it had to do with that weird robot that attacked, the one that caught me a month ago. It was insane, and it gave me something… like a stone of some kind… so when ever the moon is out, I can't control myself…"

            "How would you know that?"

            "Because… Uh…" he looked away, "Uh… Candy was watching Bambi and I couldn't stop crying when the hunter shot Bambi's mom…"

            Any other situation and Tails would have laughed, but not now.

            "Are you… under control now?" Tails asked.

            "I…I… I don't…" he began to cry again.

            "I think that answers my question…" Tails walked over and shut the blinds, blocking the violent rays of the moon.

            Tails reached out a hand to help Sonic up, but Sonic didn't take it, "How can you still want to be my friend, despite all the pain I've caused you?"

            "I thought you always knew the answer to that, Sonic…"

            "You know, I shouldn't interrupt but I'm in real pain here…" AJ said suddenly as both Sonic and Tails jumped a little.

            "AJ? But I thought I…" Sonic started but AJ stopped him.

            "Please… I don't need a flash back… just call a doctor… or… a mechanic… or… what the hell do you call for a person/robot!?"

            "AJ… you aren't even bleeding anymore…" Tails pointed out.

            "That's the problem with my reboot system… I can never call in for a sick day… Oh! Sonic! You got your mind back yet?"

            "Sonic nodded, "I'm very sorry, AJ."

            "Hey! Don't you get formal on me! Just give me back the part you stole. That was supposed to pose as my liver!"

            Sonic, hearing this, tossed the part down in disgust, "Ew!"

            AJ picked it up, "Nah, I'm just kidding. I only wanted to gross you out beyond reason."

            Just then, a head pocked into the room, "Will you guys shut up? I need sleep… too many marshmallows…" Then, Candy's eyes scanned the room, "HOLY SHIT! Where'd all the blood come from!?"

            "It's mine," AJ said, raising a hand.

            "How'd it come out…" she trailed off, seeing the bleeding mattress and the dagger near Sonic. She fell back, but caught her self, "Oh god… what happened… Tails!" She ran over to Tails, who was covered in blood from being too near to Sonic, who was very much covered in AJ's blood. (Obviously AJ's, for there was a hint of motor oil in it.)

            "Wow, there was a killer right beside me and I didn't know…" Candy said dazed.

            "Candy, I never actually killed anyone!" Sonic argued, a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, for there were no drapes in the room they were in. Everyone sat around the living room in Sonic's apartment, discussing the events of tonight.

            "Well, what can we do about this?" Amy asked. She had been across the hall and heard a scream, so after explaining everything, she was indeed shocked.

            "I guess I could get used to sleeping longer. If I slept from before the moon was out until it went down, I would never lose it." Sonic suggested.

            "Nah… what if you got it while you slept?" Tails said, "I wouldn't like being killed by a sleepwalker… then again, I'd rather not be killed at all…"

            "You could avoid any moonlight whatsoever, like those people who avoid sunlight!" Candy said, recalling a movie she saw, of course.

            "No… that wouldn't work. What if Eggman found out about this? He'd just make all attacks at night." Sonic sighed.

            "Wait.. Egghead doesn't know? I thought he did this on purpose?" Tails asked.

            "No.. his robot just lost it… He never meant for this, or he would have tried to reverse it…"

            "Why?"

            "Say I was mad at Eggman and got his by the moonlight. Of course I'd come after him and kill him!"

            "Then... if we told Eggman about this, maybe he'd help!" AJ said.

            "So what if he gets scared, why would he help? He'd just try to make Sonic mad at us and kill us. Then Sonic would be an easy target." Amy explained.

            "Yeah, but you forget. I have friends in high places when it comes to Eggman."

            "You're a traitor!?" Sonic exclaimed.

            "No! I used to know a robot he had before I escaped. She's been reprogrammed by now, of course, but I'm sure she'd remember me!"

            "Then let's go! If you can get this robot to convince Egghead to help us, we're home free!" Tails cheered.

            Meanwhile, a female robot held a mop as she cleaned the shiny metal panel flooring. She grumbled to herself while she was at it.

            "Lousy Eggman… Making ME mop the floors…" the peacock groaned.

            "You-need-a-hand?" A familiar voice asked, excepted more monogrammed and robot-like.

            "Huh? Uh… No thanks Metal Sonic…" She said, stepping away.

            "What-is-the-matter?" Metal Sonic asked.

            "Well… Sorry but you kinda creep me out. You look too much like that copy of your, Sonic."

            "Do-not-mention-that-name-in-my-presence."

            "Then what do I call you? Metal?"

            Metal Sonic was surprised by this out burst, "It-is-not-normal-for-anger-to-rise-at-alarming-rates. Are-you-malfunctioning-again?"

            "No… I'm more normal than you ever were, so I happen to have female mood swings. You got that? Bucket-O-Bolts?"

            Metal Sonic began to over-heat until just then, his eye fell over at a figure approaching, "Life-form-detected. Battle-mode-engaged."

            "Huh? What do you me---" she froze, scanning the form that stood before her. It took some time for the file to be found, but she recognized him immediately after that, "Averge Joe?"

            AJ nodded, "It's AJ actually…"

            'It IS you!" She ran over and, what stated as a hug, ended in her shoving the mop in his face, "You jerk! Do you have any idea of the hell I've been through!?"

            "Calm down, Cocky…" His gaze fell over at Metal Sonic, "Who's your friend?"

            "Oh… That's Bucket-O-Bolts, just ignore him…"

            "My-name-is-not-"Bucket-O-Bolts". I-am-Metal-Sonic."

            "Metal Sonic, eh? Oh! You're the copy! I see…"

            "I-AM-NOT-A-COPY! I-AM-THE-REAL-SONIC!"

            "Sure, sure! That's what you say. But I think I would know what came first, the chicken or the Eggman!" AJ snickered.

            "Should I feel insulted, or were you really referring to something else…" Sonic's voice rang out as he zipped over in a blue blur, his sunglasses still on, for it was night.

            "Ah! Sonic! Duck and cover!" Cocky yelled, diving behind a control panel.

            "Huh?" asked one confused hedgehog.

            "Cocky…" AJ started.

            "Please! Spare me, oh great blue one! I'd rather not become a pile of bolts and feathers!"

            "Cocky…"

            "But if you kill me and my blood stains that floor, VENGEANCE WILL BE MINE!"

            "Cocky!" AJ yelled as Cocky began her evil little growl and dance thing.

            She stopped, "What?"

            "I'm not gonna kill you…" Sonic sighed, looking at AJ, "This is your friend in high places?"

            "Uh… Cocky, do you, by chance, have a loose nut in there?" He knocked on her head.

            "Hey! I'll have you know the loose nut is on my wings!"

            "For robots, stupidity REALLY comes from a loose nut!? Now I've seen everything…" Sonic said.

            "So-if-you-are-not-here-for-a-fight-why-are-you-even-here?"

            Sonic looked at Metal Sonic, "Were you only programmed to fight me? Talk about no purpose in life…"

            Before the two Sonic's began to rip at one another's throats, Cocky jumped between them and forced them apart, "Okay, weirdoes. We all know you're both VERY manly! Now stop fighting!"

            The two grumbled, then, as Cocky released their heads, they jumped at each other.

            "Stop! Please! Quit… No!" Sonic bumped into Cocky, making her trip. AJ watched hopelessly, "Okay! Now I'm gonna kick some ASS!" She bent over to the two and grabbed them by their weak point, the center spine on their back.

            "Ow! Owowowowow…" the two Sonic's whined as them fell practically limp in Cocky's grasp.

            "Alright! Now you two are going to behave yourselves! No apologize!"

            "Sorry…" Sonic mumbled.

            "I-apologize…" Metal Sonic grumbled.

            Cocky looked at both of them and giggled, "You know, if we were in prison, you two would be like my bitches!"

            AJ just about died laughing as Sonic and Metal Sonic exchanged dirty glances towards Cocky.

            "You have no idea how long I've wanted to say that!"

            "Hey!" Amy's voice called from above the wall, "Is that safety rope secure yet? My hand's falling asleep!"

            "Oops! Sorry Amy!" Sonic called running back to secure the rope so the others could climb down.

            A few minutes later, everything had been explained. Metal Sonic seemed it amusing that Sonic showed homicidal behavior on his own team.

            "It's not THAT funny," Sonic said all pissed-like.

            "Hey! Come on! Cocky, will you take us to Eggman or not!?" Amy asked.

            "Alright. But if he tries to turn me into scrap metal, protect me, got it?"

            All of them nodded.

            Meanwhile, back at Tails and AJ's apartment, Tails and Candy sat alone, watching TV. The others thought Tails had been through enough, so he got to stay behind. Candy volunteered to watch him, so if he falls asleep, he won' be alone.

            Tails gave out a tiny snore, causing Candy to giggle. At first, it was pretty boring, until it happened.

            Tails began to talk in his sleep. The sentences were short and choppy, but Candy could get what he was saying…

            "Tails! Hurry up!" Candy called as she sped through the comforting field.

            Tails was close behind her, "I'll catch you eventually Candy! Just wait!" Tails finally jumped over towards her, tapping her on the arm, "Tag! You're it!" Tails laughed, running away.

            Candy scowled, then took off after Tails. Just then, as if out of nowhere, Candy trips and falls over. Being so close to Tails at the time, she runs right into him.

            They both fall over in pearls of laughter. A little later, the both sit in front of the horizon. Tails leans closer to Candy, who does the same. Then they slowly face each other and they can feel one another's breath against their faces. Then lean closer and then…

            Tails' eyes flew open as he felt something press against his cheek. He saw Candy pulling away in the corner of his eye and blushed.

            "Uh… did you… kiss me?" Tails asked.

            "Uh… maybe..." Candy grinned.

            Tails turned away, his face burning. Candy slowly walked back over to him, bending down as if to give him another, but strangely, Tails jumped away.

            "Hm? What's wrong?" Candy asked.

            "Oh… sorry…"

            "Oh! It's okay Tails. If you don't like me that way… I understand..."

            "No! No, of course I like you!" Candy blushed. "It's just… well… I don't really know… Like I'm… afraid…"

            "Don't be silly Tails. What could happen?"

            "Uh…" Tails stared down.

            "Oh… because of what happened in your dreams… right?"

            Tails looked at her strangely. How'd she know? Candy turned away, but then answered, "Okay… I used AJ's dream reader to see what you were dreaming before now. It wasn't a romantic coincidence, although I personally wish it was."

            Tails gave a sigh of relief, which tinged slight anger in Candy, 'What does that mean?"

            "Uh…. What does what mean?"

            "The sigh. Are you GLAD it wasn't destiny that we fall in love?"

            "Huh? What are you talking about?" Tails said, backing up.

            Candy gasped, "You DO love me!"

            "No… no…" Tails said.

            "You Love Me!"

            "No I don't!" Tails cried, leaping farther back as Candy tried to glomp him.

            "Come back here Tails!" Candy yelled, chasing after him.

            "Candy! Stop chasing me!" Tails shouted, but it was too late, for Candy had leaped onto Tails and now had him pinned on the floor.

            "Ow! Hey! Lemme' go!"

            "No! Not until you admit it! You LOVE me! Don't you?"

            "Okay! Okay! I love you!"

            Everything went quiet as he said those three little words. Slowly, Candy climbed off of Tails. Tails stood up and the two faced each other.

            "Wow… I… thought I was only kidding…" Candy said, smiling, "You really DO love me…"

            Tails blushed again, looking down.

            "Wait... or did you just say that so I'd stop chasing you?"

            "Uh… maybe…"

            "Tails!"

            "No… I uh… meant it…"

            "Yea! I got a boyfriend!" Cried Candy with glee as she grabbed Tails and hugged him. It looked rather silly when you see it, considering that because girls mature faster, Candy was a bit taller than Tails. And the platforms she was wearing didn't help.

            "Uh…"

            "You what!? Hahahahahah!" Eggman exclaimed as his laughter filtered throughout the laboratory.

            "It isn't funny…" Sonic said all pissed-like.

            "Yes it is!" Eggman snickered.

            AJ interrupted, "Hey! Are you gonna help us or not?"

            Eggman approached AJ, "Hm.. you've got guts for showing your face around here. I see you decided to join with the losers?"

            "If they're losers, why don't you ever win?"

            Eggman stuttered over a few unintelligible words, then spoke up, "Anyway… Why should I help?"

            "Gee.. I don't know, Eggman…" Sonic started, 'Suppose I get a little angry at you before I fall asleep, remembering something you did before. The moonlight hits me, so my anger increases, until I run off towards your lab. I sneak into your room where you're sleeping, a knife on hand. I lift it up and…" Sonic made a stabbing down motion with his hand.

            "Bye-bye Eggy…" Amy finished. Eggman shuddered.

            "All right! I'll help, but fist, I need to know what that robot used on you."

            A few minutes later, they're walking past a line of broken 'bots. Sonic pointed at a mysteriously fixed one, "That's the robot."

            Eggman groaned, "Why'd it have to be THAT one?"

            "Uh… what is that robot?" Cocky asked.

            "E-764 Orion. One of my later models. It lost its mind, so I shut it down." Eggman said.

            "What-could-have-enabled-such-rampart-behavior?" Metal Sonic asked, curious behind this robot's powers.

            "I believe it was a new power jewel I was testing." Eggman said, "It had power rating far beyond the Chaos Emerald. I was going to use it on you, but somehow Orion got a hold of it, and went bonkers."

            "An energy source more powerful than a Chaos Emerald?" AJ asked, shocked.

            "That's impossible. Chaos Emeralds have an unlimited source of energy. What's better than that?" Cocky questioned.

            "I don't know exactly, but this gem was. Its power was… amazing… I only wish I knew what happened to it. Then I could find a way to reverse the process…"

            Sonic thought a moment then looked up, "Uh… I know where it is…"

            "You do?" Everyone asked.

            "Where?" Eggman shouted.

            Sonic gulped, then pointed at himself.

            "What!?" Amy yelled, "You ate it?"

            "Impossible. The gem was bigger than he is!" Eggman said loudly.

            "No! I didn't eat it. Well… when the robot attacked me, it held out the gem and I think I might've… fused with it or something. Because the next instant, I felt a charge of energy and as if something just ripped into me…" Sonic shook, remembering the strange feeling.

            "Hm… well, then I'm stumped. I have no idea how we can un-fuse you with it. Unless… Sonic? Were you… in pain before you fused with the gem?"

            Sonic thought hard, then his eyes widened, "I was… I just remembered… the reason I'm even standing here is because of the gem!"

            "What do you mean?"

            "That robot… I tried to get away from it… but it was just to fast, almost faster than I was! I let my guard down to catch my breath… It had… grabbed me and… began to squeeze the life out of me… It hurt so much…"

            Amy covered her ears, "Stop Sonic! I know where this is going!"

            "…the robot killed me."

            Everyone froze. Amy, AJ, Cocky, Eggman, Metal Sonic. No one moved. After a long uneasy silence, Eggman cleared his throat.

            "Sonic… I know this will be hard to understand… Even I know how much life means to you…"

            AJ finished, "Sonic… we cannot allow you to hurt any more people…"

            Sonic's neck snapped up, "What!? No! you wouldn't!" He began to back away.

            "Sonic please…. For the sake of the planet… you must make this sacrifice…" As Amy spoke, tears filled her eyes and were released down her face.

            Sonic shook his head, a rare look spread across his face. It flooded his mind, and everything on his body showed an intense amount of it.

            Fear.

            The others began to close in on him.  Amy held her hammer into the air, to deliver the blow, which would be painful, but it must be done. Sonic shook all over, seeing the hammer that would decipher his fate. And as he did, the sunglasses slid off his face and onto the floor. The moon shined brightly into his large eyes.

            Everyone gasped as they all immediately stopped. His eyes, Sonic's eyes. They no longer showed the happy, carefree man, who showed complete bravery, even in the worst of situations. All that was there was a pitiful boy, whose worst nightmare was coming true. All that was there was a simple-minded creature whose only instinct was about to be proven useless; the instinct to live, no matter what the stakes were.

            Sonic's body shook insanely, and his eyes grew larger by the minute. Then, he sank to the floor and held his hands over his face, as if he were a child, whose demise was a fatal blow to the face.

            What was everyone feeling? Pity. Regret. Betrayal. How could they do this to a person so filled with fear, so full of sadness, and yet not even spend a chance to think before they reacted.

            Amy lowered the hammer and stared at Sonic, "What am I doing?" She said regretfully, tossing the hammer behind her. She knelt beside Sonic and embraced him in a hug. He trembled in her arms.

            "Shh…" Amy cooed, "It'll be alright Sonic…"

            Amy's words allowed Sonic to calm down, but only slightly. But alas, the intense fear had been too much on such a carefree spirit, and he collapsed into her arms.

            Candy woke up suddenly, her eyes widened at the vision she had received in the night.

            "T-tails?" Candy whispered, nudging the kitsune who slept on the couch adjacent from hers.

            "Hm? What is it Candy?" Tails said groggily.

            "Tails… do you… feel that?"

            Tails paused as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, "Candy… what is that?"

            "I don't know… Tails… I'm scared…"

            Tails slipped onto the floor and popped up next to Candy, "It'll be okay… it might just be… the Chaos Emerald in your bedroom over reacting from prolonged use…"

            "No… it isn't Chaos Energy, or I'd be more comforted than scared. It feels…"

            "…evil?" Tails finished.

            Candy nodded weakly. Just then, a thump caused them both to jump out of their fur. Then, this was followed by a series of footsteps.

            Candy was now in Tails' arms, and vice versa with Tails. Then thumping got louder as a jingling noise joined along with a clicking noise appeared. Then, a light shone onto the doorknob, which slowly began to turn. The pitch-blackness engulfed them all, and all they could see was the turning of the knob. Until finally, it flew opened to reveal…

            "Hey! Is anyone in here!" a voice called. Tails was about to speak when Candy motioned him not to.

            "Hello? Please, if you can here me! Respond!" The voice called again. Then, the man began to sound worried, 'I was told you were still here! Please! Tell me if you are there!"

            Finally, Tails couldn't take it. Be burst out yelling, calling to the man that he was there. But he heard nothing. No one heard him, for the darkness around Candy and Tails was too grand.

            _What's going on? _Tails thought. _Please! Is anybody there! _He felt for Candy, but she too, was gone. All that Tails could hear was the man crying out for a response. He wanted to save them from the darkness…

            …but it was too late…

            Within minutes, the darkness was everywhere, and all Tails could do was sit tight until the morning light could once again touch his face.

            "Tails! Please! If you can hear me, open you eyes!" Candy's desperate shouts commanded. Then, Tails eyes flew open. He was sitting on the same couch he had been on before, but it was different. Candy sat by him, a relieved look on her face, "Thank the heavens you woke up!"

            Tails sat up with difficulty, "What… huh? Where am I?"

            "You dosed off. The next thing I know, your shouting out and then you just… died for a minute or something."

            Tails stared ahead. "I thought I wasn't supposed to have these dreams anymore…"

            "I guess… something happened. What did you dream?"

            Tails explained the dream in detail. Afterwards, Candy gawked in shock, "Tails… what does that mean?"

            "I don't kn---" He froze.

            "What's the mat---" Candy froze too.

            "…can you feel it?" Tails asked, lowering his voice. Candy nodded.

            The same mysterious energy floated about, just like the energy in Tails' dream. Only this time, something really weird happened. A voice began to call out.

            _Help me… _It spoke to them. _Anyone… I'm scared… please… save me from the darkness…_

"Wha?" Candy gaped, her jaw hanging low.

            "Oh… the suspense is killing me!" Amy cried, stroking Sonic's face, as he lay, unconscious, on a cold metal table.

AJ looked over and shuddered. Seeing Sonic lying on that cold table, THE cold table. The very table those many lay on while awaiting robotization. AJ couldn't bear the thought of that happening to Sonic, so the very sight chilled him to the bone. As AJ sat, he recalled the first time they had encountered each other. Atleast, that he could remember…

"Huh?" the creature said.

            "Geeze! You could kill someone running that fast? Trying to lose someone?"

            "Yeah! Now move or she'll… Ah! Amy!" A young girl who was obviously Amy then ambushed the boy.

            "Oh Sonic! I finally got you!"

            Sonic looked at AJ, "Thank a lot…"

            AJ's eyes widened, "You're Sonic?"

            "Yeah… why?"

            AJ picked up Sonic, "I finally found you!"

            Sonic leaped out of his grasp, "Why you looking for me? I'm not lost? Or… do you know Dr. Eggman?"

            "Know him, he built me… but what's that gotta do with---"

            Clunk!

            Sonic had attempted to punch him away, but AJ was solid steel. Sonic pulled his hand back, bent out of shape. Oo

            "OW!" Sonic grabbed his hand and hopped around.

            "Well, some way to say hello to your older brother…"

            "He's waking up." Eggman said as Sonic stirred slightly. Amy put on the sunglasses as Sonic stretched out and sat up.

            "Have a nice nap?" Amy asked, trying to be cheerful.

            Sonic gave no reply, still traumatized from what his friends had tried to do.

            "IsenseyouarepissedoffifIamnotmistaken." Metal Sonic said. Sonic made a face and pushed Metal away. Metal, not like having to cater to his enemy's interests, opened his mouth, (Was designed by Eggman during Metal's latest tune-up) and bite onto Sonic's hand.

            At first, everyone else tried to keep from laughing, for it was quite a sight to see. But unfortunately, the reactions that followed were too funny to pent-up your laughter.

            Sonic had leaped up in surprise at the sudden bite then shouted out, carrying on about the "Diseased Bag of Bolts". Metal hadn't appreciated this and pulled Sonic down from where he stood by his tail and gave him a courtesy finger. Sonic, in shock from Metal's sudden normal characteristics, flung Metal off him and into a near by robot. This robot conveniently happened to be the old kissing robot Eggman built. The robot was activated immediately and grabbed poor Metal, giving him a big kiss right on the face. Metal, blaring with rage threw the robot at Sonic, who managed to dodge. The only problem is that now it was after Amy! Amy tried to get away, but the darn thing wouldn't let up and pasted a kiss right on Amy's lips. That is where the fun slipped away.

            "ARGH! That is NOT how I planned my first kiss to be!" She took a swing and the robot shattered on contact, only his lips were left functional. The made some kissy faces at Amy and she shrieked again, smacking the lips at AJ.

            "Aaah!" AJ cried, leaping safely out of range of the kissy lips. He then picked them up and hocked them at Eggman.

            Eggman threw then onto the ground, cursing at it.

            "Don't yell at me!" it complained, "I did my job!"

            "Kiss off you clown!" Eggman yelled, kicking the damned thing into the scrap metal bin. Everyone sighed in relief.

            Amy glared at the Sonic duo, "It's your fault you idiots! NOW I see a resemblance! Neither of you have any brains!"

            "I have brains, I just choose not use them." Sonic sniffed, crossing his arms and turning away.

            "TechinacallyIhavenobrainsbutamemorychipmoreefficientthana normalbrain" Metal said coolly.

            -- "No one likes a show-off, copy…"

            "CallmethatandItakeoffyoursunglasses"

            "Eep! Not that!" Sonic grumbled, then pouted out a, "Okay…fine!"

            "Anyway, we need to find a way for this to work. We can't have Sonic just waiting about. Eventually he'll see moonlight and he'll go crazy again. And what if next time it doesn't go away when the moon leaves?"

            Everyone thought about that. If they just let it be, horrible things may happen. Horrible things…

            "Candy? You okay?" Tails asked.

            "Yeah… what just happened?"

            "I don't know… maybe we just fell asleep…"

            "…And dreamed the same thing?"

            Tails sighed. He really didn't want to believe that there was some kind of ghost in the room, he was traumatized enough as it is. It could have just been their imagination, but that would mean a very strong imagination.

            "Tails… if that voice was only imaginary…" Candy seemed to have read his mind, "Then… was the whole night imaginary…?"

            "I don't know Candy… but I know we didn't imagine what happened with the others, or they'd be here right now."

            "I guess… huh?" She exclaimed as the sounds of claws that were violently scratching against a window shrieked into the night.

            "Yipe!" They both screamed, clinging to each other, frightened. But the scratching didn't stop. The only change was that the ghostly voice returned.

            _Help me! Please, someone! I am dying! _

            "Tails! I know that isn't my imagination!"

            "I know… I can still hear it…"

            They both stood up, preparing to face the horror, which sounded more and more, like death cries from afar as they closed in on the voice.

            _Help me! Help me…_

            "The voice is fading away..."

            "No! Don't go!" Candy yelled, running towards the voice. It appeared to be coming from a bedroom.

            "Candy! Wait!" Tails cried, rushing into the room after her. Then, he stopped, along with Candy. They were in Sonic's room and a strange ghostly figure hovered in the room with their back turned. The figure gave off a white blue aurora and stood fairly taller than Tails. In the pale hands of the figure, a strange gem was placed, which made direct contact my piercing into the chest of the ghost. Also, the figure seemed oddly skinny, as if they'd been crushed by some kind of machine. The dark eyes of the ghost turned to Tails and Candy.

            Tails and Candy remained silent at the figure that now stared back at them.

            It was Sonic.

            "Well, we have to think of something!" Amy said, exasperated.

            "There isn't anything we can do that doesn't involve killing Sonic and, he being persistent as he is, isn't going to cooperate, are you, Sonic?" Eggman asked angrily.

            "Nope." Sonic replied, turning his head.

            "Well there has to be some other way!" Cocky said.

            "I doubt that. Like I said, I was never able to get in close range with that crystal for its energy was too powerful to come in close range with. And even if I could have analyzed the gem, I wouldn't have found out much. I'm no expert at jewels."

            "Someone say jewels?" A mysterious voice asked from above. Everyone turned their heads upwards.

            "Rouge? What do you want!" Eggman said grumpily.

            "I heard you say something about a jewel problem, and I think I can help you," She wore that same mischievous grin, as always.

            "How could a jewel thief like you help us?"

            "I heard you talking about a strange jewel with immense power, and I was wondering if it looked anything like…" She pulled a large crystal-like shard out of a bag, using the bag to hold it safely, "Like this?"

            Eggman's eyes widened, "That is almost an exact copy! Where in the world did you find that!?"

            "I tried to steal the entire thing after you had brought it to your lab, but it was too large for e to steal, so I merely chipped off a piece of it and took it with me." Rouge explained.

            Sonic looked up at the shard. Suddenly, he didn't feel well. He bent over, his hand on his chest.

            "Hm? Sonic, what's wrong?" Amy asked concernedly. Everyone turned to look over at Sonic as the shard began to glow oddly. It flew out of Rouge's hand and hovered in mid-air. "Yipe! What's going on?"

            Then, a brilliant flash of light shot out of the crystal and the beam went directly at Sonic's heart. He screamed out in severe pain as the light enveloped his whole body.

            "Sonic!" Amy cried, running towards him. But the energy was too powerful and it knocked her up into the air, knocking into Rouge, causing both girls to hit the floor.

            Finally, the light began to fade away, and as it did, a new form stood in Sonic's place.

            This strange creature had dark red eyes that pierced into ones soul, and blood red fur, that contained traces of dark blue streaks. A black tunic-like outfit covered most of the stranger's body and behind the creature a long whip-like tail with a burning black flame on the tip. The shoes of this creature were shrouded in mist, but seemed to look like Sonic's, only the stripe was black and the color, blue.

            "What are you!?" Eggman exclaimed.

            "Quiet mortal," Its mysterious voice spoke, "From now on I asked the questions around here. But to answer your question, my name is Tamod Darkening. I am the evil spirit trapped within the evil crystal. For centuries, my soul was locked away into the gem, which only harnessed my darkness, allowing me to strengthen it. Now that I am free, I shall destroy the universe!"

            Tamod lifted his hand into the air, causing Eggman to hover upward. Then, like the robot had crushed Sonic before, the air around Eggman began to tighten, crushing him. Eggman gasped far air, but there was no stopping Tamod. Finally, Eggman gave out one last scream as his body went limp and his bones shattered. Tamod smirked and twisted his fingers up, causing Eggman's body to break apart and rain down onto the floor. Everyone watched in horror at what happened in a matter of seconds.

            Then, Tamod's gaze fell upon Amy, who took a step away from him, "You fear me, dear girl? Have no fears, for I'll make your death as painless as possible. Although I may have destroyed his soul, Sonic's mind is still forever entwined with mine, therefore we share some of the same thoughts on certain matters. I know of your affections for him, so I'll make things easy and allow you to rest… In pieces!" Then, he leaped over at Amy, but she pulled away.

            "You still resist? You know there is no way to survive!" He lunged at her again, pulling her hair and pushing her to the ground. Then, taking the crystal that made him what he was, the shard that Rouge had brought, he lifted it up, preparing to dig it into Amy's chest. Then, just as it was about to make stabbing contact, Tamod froze.

            Amy looked up questioningly, wondering why he hadn't killed her yet. Then, she saw why.

            After a long silence, Tails approached the figure, "H-hello?" The ghost turned to look at Tails, the eyes had no emotion in them and seemed to gaze right through Tails' mind. Tails shivered, but stood firmly against the ghost. Behind him, Candy seemed to be a bit more brave and stepped forward.

            "Okay! Who are you and where's my brother!" She demanded.

            The ghost didn't reply, but instead pointed out the window. Tails and Candy hesitated, but went over to look out the window. In the distance, a cloud of dark skies loomed, covering up the sunset. Candy gasped and turned to Tails, "The Egg base is over there! You don't think…"

            "No time to lose! We gotta hurry! Thanks So---" Tails was about to thank the Sonic spirit, but it was gone, "I guess it wasn't our imagination…"

            Then Tails opened the window and grabbed Candy's hand, flying out into the ice-cold night.

            Amy immediately took this opportunity to throw Tamod behind here. He flew backwards with a clunk.

            "So, you don't like moonlight, do you?" Amy said, looking up at the bright crescent moon that was out.

            Tamod lay on the ground, struggling to stand, "Hmph… just because I cannot perform physical attacks does not mean I am not any more of a threat. You'll just have to settle for a more tragic end." He lifted his shaky hand in into the air, lifting Amy up.

            "Eep! No! God No!" Amy screamed as Tamod brought down his hand smack onto the metal, also bringing Amy down. She screamed in agony.

            "You stop it right now!" AJ yelled, running at Tamod and catching him in a headlock. Tamod yelled outward.

            "AJ… you wouldn't… fight your own brother would you?"

            "You aren't my brother! You killed my brother! Now, for that, I shall kill you!" He tightened his lock on Tamod's neck. Tamod looked up as life escaped him, then, his maniacal laughter rang out.

            AJ cocked his head, "Have you lost it?"

            "No.. the clouds I have summoned with my dark powers have conveniently covered the moon…"

            "Oh no…" Was all AJ could say before Tamod flung AJ off and then took the gem.

            "AJ!" cocky shouted, but it was too late. Tamod brought the gem into AJ, right into his forehead where the robotic parts keeping him alive and functional were. AJ shook a moment as his robot server shut down. All that was left was a normal hedgehog who, without his robotic parts, was missing basically his entire internal organ system. AJ flipped over and began to choke up blood before finally falling down, limp as can be.

            "AJ!" Amy cried, tears rolling down her face. He saved her. Why'd he have to die?

            "Tsk, Tsk. That robot should've known better than to mess with me!" Tamod growled, now facing Amy again, "Now, where were we?"

            Just then, Cocky leaped at Tamod from behind, "You jerk! I shall not let AJ die in vain!" she then pinched him in a certain area on his back spine and Tamod went limp.

            "What in hell did you do?" Rouge asked, looking at the spirit.

            "All hedgehogs have a weak point on their back, middle spine. I've read enough books to know that."

            "Wow. Well, what do we do now?" Amy asked.

            "Hey guys!" Tails and Candy yelled, scrambling over, "What happen--- What in hell!?" Candy screamed, staring at Tamod, "Who is that!?"

            "That's Tamod, the dark side of that weird crystal Sonic had."

            "Huh?" Tails and Candy asked in unison. So Amy, Rouge, and Cocky explained everything that happened.

            "So…" Tails turned to Candy, "That ghost we saw really was.."

            Tears welled in Candy's eyes and she hung her head so no one would see her crying. Tails set his hand on her shoulder, his crystal blue eyes looking into hers, "It'll be okay, Candy… I promise."

            Candy smiled at him and the others, all being girls, let out a simultaneous "Awwwwwwwwwww."

            Candy and Tails both blushed deeply as Candy took hold of Tails' hand. Again, a blush, until finally did Rouge make a mocking sound causing them both to immediately release one another and look away.

            Just then, the form of Tamod began to move, with no one paying much attention to notice.

                    

            AJ groaned. Where was he? He lifted his head and looked around. Darkness, darkness on every corner. His head throbbed; it felt like he had been stabbed right into his mind. Then again, he had been stabbed, and he had died.

            Then, another figure caught his eye. Was it…? Eggman?

            "Well, quite the predicament we've gotten into." Eggman sneered, "I'd blame you if it wasn't my fault."

            "That's nice. Where are we anyway?"

            "Hm… it appears to be some kind of void of blackness. Perhaps… a black hole?"

            "A black hole of earth? You've got to be kidding me."

            "Well then, where do you think we are… Joey?"

            "Joey? What are you--- Holy Shit! Why am I all powder blue!"

            "When you were killed, your robotic servers obviously didn't come with you."

            AJ looked down at himself. "Hey, I was kinda sexy when I was normal!"

            "Uhm… I didn't need to hear that… Anyway, I'm guessing anyone that Tamod person killed is sent here, so we won't be alone very long…"

            "What are you saying…"

            "I'm saying that those girls are not exactly warriors. With the exception of Cockriabot, none of them really have any fighting skills."

            "Her name is Cocky, you drip."

            "Name calling will get us nowhere. Come, let us try to find a way out of here. You were one of my creations, I'm not gonna double cross you."

            "Good."

            The two walked into the void, looking for a way out, when suddenly a voice called out.

            "Hey! Is anyone there! Hello!?"

            "Hm?" Eggman said, looking back, "Was that you?"

            "No…"

            The voice called again, "Hey! Idiots! I can friggin' see you! Why don't you respond!"

            "Wait... that's… Sonic!" AJ cried, running over to the blue hedgehog.

            "Finally! A person came! Do you know how long I've been waiting in this damned void!? The only thing I could do to pass the fuckin' time was improve my damn vocabulary."

            "I can see your language has become more colorful…" Eggman snickered.

            "Damn right." Sonic answered. Just then, both AJ and Eggman noticed something.

            "Sonic… why can I see Eggy on the other side of your gut?" AJ asked.

            "Huh? Oh… Yeah, I dunno why, but I'm a ghost."

            "That's… nice to know," said Eggman sarcastically.

            "Look! I found a way out!" AJ yelled, pointing to a light that appeared in the distance.

            "Well it's about fuckin' time! Let's go!" Sonic yelled, running towards the light.

            "Sonic, I'll never get used to hearing you cuss every other word…"

            "Well then you can go soak your damn head, you wimpy lil' bitch."

            AJ turned away.

            "Oh... I'm sorry… I went to far that time…" Both brothers turned to each other and began to burst out laughing.

            Eggman sighed, "I'm surrounded by idiots… And now I have this odd feeling that more people will give a queer eye to those straight guys…" Eggman chuckled at this as Sonic and AJ gave pissed off looks.

            Then they all dropped the matter and ran at the exit, where, to their shock, their fate awaited them.

            A large metal wire was secretly hidden behind the light, and Sonic, losing patience for his slow comrades, grabbed both their arms and ran full speed at the light. Then, as everything seemed in the clear, the wire flew out and hit all three, slicing them in half.

            Meanwhile, Tails sat beside Candy, where the other three were talking off in the distance. Candy leaned against Tails, her head on his shoulder. It was so comforting, especially after hard times like these. Tails' bright orange tails wrapped around Candy, holding her closer to him. Candy blushed, but just lay there, with Tails. She almost thought that they were the only two people left on earth…

            But, unawares from Candy and Tails, a dark figure had already knocked out all of the three women guarding the young couple. Amy, Rouge, and Cocky lay in a pile, their necks slit, and their bodies thrown carelessly into a dark crevice. Tails and Candy continued to hold each other until, in the blink of an eye, and a cry from Candy, it happened.

            "Ah! Candy! No!" Tails screamed, staring in horror as his love fell to the ground, a blue crystal struck directly into her back and through her chest. On the end of the crystal, her heart had been severed out, and now lay, torn, on the floor. Copious tears fell from Tails' face, "Candy!" He sobbed.

            "Hmph… pathetic fool!" Tamod snickered.

            "You!" Tails cried, turning at the dark incarnation, "You killed her! How could you!?"

            "Hey, I'm evil. Besides, the little brat had it coming to her, I just gave her a little nudge, that's all."

            In his angry state, Tails charged at Tamod, only to be thrown back by a barrier.

            "Hah! You challenge me? You may as well give in to your fate, boy. There is no one here alive that can save yo--- ARGH!" Tamod yelled, being punched into the back of the neck from behind.

"Knuckles!" Tails cried, running over the body of Tamod and hugging Knuckles. Knuckles raised an eyebrow, "Uh… Yeah, I'm here…" He looked down at the body, "Who in hell is that?"

            Tails tried his best to explain all he could, until breaking down into tears over Candy's death.

            _Poor Tails… _Knuckles thought, still hugging the small fox. He looked down at Candy's mangled body and shuddered. Sonic would have a cow if he---

            "Good lord! What happened!?" Sonic exclaimed. Knuckles and Tails looked up to see Sonic's ghost floating upward, eyeing the remains of his little sister.

            "…No…" Sonic said, falling onto his knees beside his sister. Knuckles and Tails were silent.

            "Oh god… please don't be dead Candy…" He saw her heart lying on the pavement, and the gem the cause. Sonic's normally blue aurora turned a flaming red. He looked at where Tamod lay on the ground, just now standing up.

            "You! You killed my sister!" Sonic growled, hovering towards Tamod.

            "N-now take it easy, sonic!" Tamod said, stepping back, "We can be buddies, right? I just did what you wanted me to do!"

            "You killed the WRONG ONE you bastard!"

            "What!?" Tails and Knuckles exclaimed simultaneously.

            "Sonic! What do you mean wrong one? Did you… plan this?" Knuckles asked, shocked.

            "Well--- I--- Uh… I didn't mean to--- It wasn't my----" He stuttered, but Tamod took this opportunity and tackled Sonic.

            "I shall help you kill no more!" And he took the gem out of Candy's body and stabbed the Sonic ghost with it, directly into his neck.

            Everyone still alive gawked. What did they just see? What just happened?

            Tamod stood up and faced Knuckles and Tails, "I am sorry you had to see this. Look over here please."

            They both looked, just then, the gem began to glow, and Tamod spoke, "You will awaken in 10 years. After which your hearts will have healed. Until that time comes, you shall live in you imagination and be with your true dreams. When you wake from this coma, you shall need therapy from now until forever, for you will never die. You shall live forever in an eternal nightmare, never to love or feel emotion again. Only the pain of your long ago past will haunt you until you cannot bear it any longer. You shall commit suicide, but death will never come, not as long as the pain in your heart is there. Now, at the sound of silence, sleep will overcome you. Good-bye."

            "No!" tails cried, but it was too late. The gem flashed and that was it.

            Knuckles, in his dreams, was now guardian of the Master Emerald, but with a difference. He was with his lovely wife, Rouge, and had three children, all whom wish to carry on the family business. He knew the truth though, why he wasn't happy. It was all in his head… all in his head…

            And Tails. He was also settled in with a wife, his true love, Candy. But he couldn't bear to look at her face. For whenever his eyes fell upon her beauty, he was haunted with the horrible truth…

            …no one was there…

            And so, cursed in this Imaginary World, Tails lived out his life, and until the day where freedom can come near, he is lost. And as he lay there, on his made-up bed, in his made-up world, the words of angels echoed in his head…

The End

(Please note that this, indeed, is NOT the ending. Currently in Progress is the thrilling Sequel to "Imaginary" that is known as "The Future of the Past." I promise to have it up as soon as it is finished. Thank You! –Kittany)


End file.
